Academic Affairs and Student Development: Overview
Potential Areas of Professional Employment
Students in this concentration are preparing for teaching, research, and/or administrative careers in postsecondary education. For a potential academic (professorial) or research career, concentrators’ likely areas of research include students, faculty, diversity, teaching and learning, curriculum, history, philosophy, international and comparative higher education, and institutional policy. Administrative careers exist in a myriad of areas within the academic and student affairs structures of colleges and universities, including: student affairs administration, faculty development, student support services (including athletics and academic advising), multicultural affairs, and curriculum development.
Organization of Courses in the Concentration
The introduction to this concentration is provided by the Gateway course, which is a prerequisite to most courses in this concentration. The remaining courses in this concentration are grouped into three areas: those that address issues related to individual, institutional, and societal level perspectives. Students in this concentration are required to take one course from each of these three perspectives. Note: Some courses address more than one perspective, and are listed accordingly below. However, students may not use the same course to fulfill the requirement for more than one perspective. Students are encouraged to select the best combination of courses to match their career goals and interests, in consultation with their advisor.
Gateway Course
Recommended for all Academic Affairs and Student Development concentrators, this Gateway course (or its equivalent) is a prerequisite for other courses in this area and should be taken in the first year.
EDUC 690, Academic Affairs in Student Development in Postsecondary Education
This course focuses on colleges and universities as teaching-learning environments. Class sessions highlight critical issues in the field and introduce key concepts and theories that frame higher education research related to students, faculty, teaching and learning.
Concentration Courses
Individual Level Courses (minimum of 3 credits)
These courses pertain to the learning and development of students as individuals. Examples of courses that reflect this perspective include:
EDUC 662, Learning and Development in Higher EducationUC
EDUC 769, Enhancing Learning Outcomes for College Students
EDUC 864, The American College Student
EDUC 866, The College and University Professor
Institutional Level Courses (minimum of 3 credits)
These courses pertain to institutional factors that affect teaching and learning. Examples of courses that reflect this perspective include:
EDUC 665, Managing Student Affairs
EDUC 762, Curriculum in Postsecondary Education
EDUC 769, Enhancing Learning Outcomes in Higher Education
EDUC 860, Technology in Higher Education
EDUC 868, Philosophy of Academic Leadership
EDUC 873, Race, Ethnicity and Gender in Higher Education
EDUC 874, Law and Higher Education
EDUC 880, Case Studies in Higher Education Management
Societal Level Courses (minimum of 3 credits)
These courses pertain to societal (social, cultural, and historical) conditions that affect learning and teaching. Examples of courses that reflect this perspective include:
EDUC 759, Higher Education and Society
EDUC 870, International and Comparative Higher and Continuing Education
EDUC 873, Race, Ethnicity and Gender in Higher Education
EDUC 874, Law and Higher Education
Students planning to focus in this area should take the following:
- ADDITIONAL CONCENTRATION AND ELECTIVE COURSES: These should be selected to be consistent with the student’s particular interest in the Academic Affairs and Student Development concentration, with approval of the student’s advisor.
- COGNATE COURSES: These should reflect a student’s interest in Academic Affairs and Student Development and provide an in-depth focus on some aspect of academic affairs and student development in postsecondary education. Selection of cognate courses should be discussed with the student’s advisor early in his/her program.
- EDUC 767, Research Practicum in Higher and Continuing Education (minimum of 3 credits). A student’s practicum should focus on a research project related to the Academic Affairs and Student Development concentration.
For a summary of all doctoral requirements, please see the Ph.D. Worksheet
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